Fostering a Globally Competent Student through the use of Technology

One of my goals as a teacher is to adequately prepare my students for the world that awaits them. This means they need to be globally competent. Students need to understand the world is larger than the area that they live. They need to be aware of the different cultures and philosophies that exist in the world. In the technological world we live in, creating a globalized classroom is easier than it has been in the past. The internet and the growth of open educational resources provide opportunities to learn for teachers and students. The growth and affordability of mobile devices provides additional opportunities. Here are three suggestions on creating the global classroom: 1) virtual field trips 2) Skype 3) Classroom Nings.

Virtual Field Trips
Virtual field trips allow you to take your class on a field trip that typically would cost thousands of dollars. Of course it isn't the same, but the photos and in some cases videos of "tour guides" take you to the Brazilian Rainforest, the Egyptian pyramids, or a safari in Kenya.

Skype
Skype can be used in a multitude of ways. It could be used within the school building to co-teach. It could also be used to collaborate with another classroom in another school. Collaboration with another school would be ideal to "expose" your students with other students with another view of life. One powerful use of Skype would be to partner with people in the business world so students could ask questions and learn about possible future jobs they may pursue.
Nings
Nings are powerful collaboration tools that have forums, blogs, chats, and other widgets. They can be marked "private" for student protection, but would allow students the opportunity to interact online with others for an educational purpose. This takes some organization on the teachers' part, but I see value in collaboration and bringing students of different backgrounds and lifestyles together and share their thoughts and ideas with one another. These are just a few tools to begin the process of creating and fostering a globally competent student.

More than an "Overhaul"

I’ve been thinking a lot about next school year lately. What approach to take with my Freshman English class? What new lessons to implement with my 10th graders? Which new technologies I want to bring into my classroom? Thinking about that leads me into thinking about our education system nationwide. It almost depresses me. It reminds me of my van as I drove to see the Sequoia trees a couple of weeks ago. I began to lose my radiator just out of L.A., but was reassured all was ok for the climb into the mountains. To make a long story short, I lost my transmission due to my radiator not cooling it properly. I’m not a mechanic, but that is what my mechanic back home told me. Anyway, I was given a choice…do I put in a brand new transmission and radiator and get a guarantee OR do I authorize them to “overhaul” the transmission and just have them “flush” the radiator? There are benefits and negatives to both. Obviously, the first one would cost a lot more money, but pretty much assure me a safe and happy ride back home. The first option would give me a three-year warranty. The second option could be the “quick fix” and get me on the road quicker, but will it hold up as I travel through the mountains on the way home? Back to our education system here in America, do we want a quick fix? Do we want to “band aid” the problems? Do we want to do it right? Do we “overhaul” or totally change the way we educate our children? We know that our system is broke, but I’m not sure the “overhaul” will do it. Thousands of teachers are losing jobs due to finances and our leaders are not seeing the impact that it will have on our kids. Some teachers are “stuck in the stone-age” when it comes to methodologies. What will it take for leaders/politicians/administrators to see that education needs to change from the old traditional methods?

Cellphones in the Classroom...A Nuisance or a tool?

3.3 billion....approximately 1/2 the population of the earth...have cell phones. The last two years I have been on the totally opposite side of the spectrum of the argument I am about to "endorse". Through research and my love of technology, I have began to try and find a way to use cell phones as a tool within the classroom instead a banning or penalizing students for using them. In the past, I have saw them as a complete nuisance. On several occasions, I would take them from students if I saw them, since school policy required students to keep cell phones in their lockers. Our policy was that the phone would be locked up for 24 hours for the 1st offense, 48 hours for the 2nd. In fact, last year I collected nearly 40 cell phones from students texting when they shouldn't be. You are probably thinking, why embrace cell phones now? I'm asking how am I going to sell the idea to my administrator after being 100% anti-cell phone in the classroom? Cell phones are not going away. The texting and other applications available on phones today is relatively affordable. Information is literally at students finger tips. Cell phones now can be used to shoot video as well. Last year, I saw Vicki Davis present at a conference. Her blog contains daily updates on technology and its use in the classroom. This link focuses on "the case for cell phones in schools". Hall Davidson from Discovery Education strongly advocates the use of cell phones in the classroom. I honestly feel we as educators are "missing the boat", if we are not using the cell phone as a tool. What rules or policies need to be in place when using the cell phone as a tool within the classroom? What happens when a student "crosses the line"? What are your thoughts?

Teaching should be more...

Teaching should be more than just students repeating and regurgitating information back. Sometimes that is how it feels for me and I'm sure it is the same for other teachers. Welcome to the Rinkel Farm! As I was outside with the family the other evening, three cows appeared in our pasture (broke through the neighbor's fence). My 6 year old daughter, and 4 year old son, and I (being the cool dad I am) began "mooing" at them and within seconds they began to moo back. Isn't that exciting?? I moo and the cows respond the same way. This little episode reminded me of classrooms across America, even my classroom as I prepared students for state tests. We are teaching to standardized tests so we can meet government mandates. Some teachers continue teaching using methods of the 1970s lecturing and requiring students to respond back or regurgitate the material back. Teachers worldwide need to find ways to reach the students of today if they are to succeed in todays world. Instead of creating students who simply repeat the material back and forget it after the test, we need to create students who can critically think, communicate, collaborate, and be creative.

Risk

At the Indianapolis 500 Time Trials, a great amount of risk is taken to secure the pole position for the greatest racing spectacle in the world. A lot can go wrong for a driver when they are circling the track at speeds of 224 miles per hour. Can risk be good in certain situations? When does risk become negative? Many people who have become successful have taken a risk with time or finances at some point. Risk is usually seen as bad v.s. good. Where do you draw the line? When does risk become negative instead of positive?

Awesome Teaching Tool...Flip Video Camera

I recently borrowed a Flip Video Camera from my brother to check out the quality and ease of use. I heard they were very reliable and compact, but I was concerned about the quality (video and audio). The three weeks I borrowed it, I am amazed with the quality. With all the trips I have planned this summer, I need something small. The camera is very compact, it will actually fit into your back pocket. I have a small camera case that my digital camera goes in and they both fit into it. It will definitely come in handy going through the airport. The previous blog on Competition has a video the flip camera shot. You can purchase the camera from anywhere between $89-$179. They also now have HD, but you'll spend over $200 for those models. In the near future, I hope to have some video-blogs posted using this camera. My mind has been going crazy lately thinking about all the things I can use the flip video camera in my classroom with. Writing prompts, video podcasts, short videos, short commercials, the list goes on and on.

Where's the competition?

To start, I may be a little off base here. I'm not really sure and I am NOT complaining...just curious. Now that I've added that disclaimer, here we go. I took my four year old son and five year old daughter to a community easter egg hunt. They had it at the convention center with other events. There were hundreds of people in attendance. The egg hunt was divided into age categories 3-4, 5-7, 8-10year olds. As the first hunt was about to start, the announcer said that each child was limited to five eggs. He then said that if your child does not receive five eggs, they just need to tell someone and they would be sure everyone received five eggs. What that tells me is, a kid can stand around and pick his nose, make no effort, and still get the same amount of eggs as a kid running his heart out, picking up the five eggs as fast as he can. I can remember hunting eggs when I was about 8. They turned you loose and it was every kid for himself. You were not guaranteed any certain number. If you ran into the bigger kids, sometimes they took your eggs, sometimes you got pushed down. My question is: what are we teaching our kids if they work hard and do more and receive the same reward as the kid who does nothing? It doesn't sound fair to me, but what is fair?